Bible: 1 Cor 3-10

Immaturity and Self-deception

3:1So, brothers and sisters,1I couldnotspeakto youasspiritualpeople, butinstead aspeople of the flesh,2asinfantsinChrist.3:2I fedyoumilk,3notsolid food, foryou werenot yetready. In fact, you arestillnotready,3:3foryou arestillinfluenced by the flesh.4Forsincethere is still jealousyanddissensionamongyou, are younotinfluenced by the fleshandbehavinglike unregenerate people?53:4Forwheneversomeonesays, “Iamwith Paul,” or“Iam with Apollos,” are younotmerely human?6

Church Discipline

5:1It isactuallyreportedthat sexual immoralityexists amongyou, the kindof immoralitythatis not permitted evenamongthe Gentiles, so thatsomeoneis cohabitingwith29 his father’swife.5:2Andyouareproud!30 Shouldn’t you have been deeply sorrowfulinsteadandremovedthe one who didthis31fromamongyou?5:3Foreven thoughIam absentphysically,32I am presentin spirit. AndI havealreadyjudgedthe one who didthis, just asthough I were present.335:4When yougather togetherinthe nameof ourLordJesus,34andIam with you in spirit,35alongwith the powerof ourLordJesus,5:5turnthis manoverto Satanforthe destructionof the flesh, so thathis spiritmay be saved36inthe dayof the Lord.37

The Circumstances of Your Calling

7:17Nevertheless,75asthe Lordhas assignedto each one, asGodhas calledeach person, somust he live. I givethis sort of directioninallthe churches.7:18Was anyonecalledafterhe had been circumcised? He shouldnottry to undo his circumcision.76Was anyonecalledwho is uncircumcised? He shouldnotget circumcised.7:19Circumcisionisnothinganduncircumcisionisnothing. Instead, keepingGod’scommandmentsis what counts.7:20Leteach oneremaininthatsituationin life77 in whichhe was called.7:21Were you calledas a slave?78 Donotworryabout it. Butifindeed you are ableto befree, makethe mostof the opportunity.7:22Forthe one who was calledinthe Lordas a slaveisthe Lord’sfreedman. In the same way, the one who was calledas a free personisChrist’sslave.7:23You were boughtwith a price. Donotbecomeslavesof men.7:24Inwhatever situationsomeonewas called, brothers and sisters,79let him remaininitwithGod.

Remaining Unmarried

7:25With regardto the question about people who have never married,80I havenocommandfromthe Lord, butI givemy opinionasone shown mercybythe Lordto betrustworthy.7:26Because ofthe impending crisisI thinkit bestfor you to remainas you are.7:27The one boundto a wifeshouldnotseekdivorce. The one releasedfroma wifeshouldnotseekmarriage.817:28Butifyou marry, you havenotsinned. Andifa virginmarries, she hasnotsinned. Butthose who marry will facedifficult circumstances,82and Iam trying to spareyousuch problems.837:29AndI saythis, brothers and sisters:84 The timeisshort. So thenthose who havewivesshould beasthose who havenone,7:30those with tearslikethose notweeping, those who rejoicelikethose notrejoicing, those who buylikethose withoutpossessions,7:31those who usethe worldas thoughthey werenotusingit to the full. Forthe present shapeof thisworldis passing away.

7:32AndI wantyouto befree from concern. An unmarried manis concernedabout the things of the Lord, howto pleasethe Lord.7:33Buta married manis concernedabout the things of the world, howto pleasehis wife,7:34andhe is divided. An unmarriedwoman85ora virgin86is concernedabout the things of the Lord, to be holybothin bodyandspirit. Buta married womanis concernedabout the things of theworld, howto pleaseher husband.7:35I am sayingthisfor yourbenefit, nottoplacea limitationon you, butso that without distractionyou may give notableandconstant serviceto the Lord.

7:36Ifanyonethinks he is acting inappropriatelytowardhisvirgin,87ifshe ispast the bloom of youth88andit seemsnecessary, he should do whathe wishes; he doesnotsin. Let them marry.7:37Butthe man who is firminhiscommitment, and is undernonecessitybuthascontroloverhiswill, andhas decidedinhis ownmindto keephis ownvirgin, doeswell.7:38So then, the one who marries89his ownvirgindoeswell, butthe one who doesnot, doesbetter.90

Butwe havenotmade useof thisright. Insteadwe endureeverythingso thatwe maynotbea hindranceto the gospelof Christ. 9:13Don’tyou knowthatthose who servein the temple106eat foodfromthe temple, and those who serveat the altarreceive a partof the offerings?9:14In the same waythe Lordcommandedthose who proclaimthe gospelto receivetheir livingbythe gospel.9:15ButIhavenotusedany of theserights. And I amnotwritingthese thingsso thatsomething will be doneforme.107In fact, it would be betterformeto diethan– no onewill depriveme of myreason for boasting!1089:16ForifI preachthe gospel, Ihavenoreasonfor boasting, becauseIam compelledto do this. Woeto meifI donotpreach the gospel!9:17ForifI dothisvoluntarily, I havea reward. ButifI do it unwillingly, I am entrusted with a responsibility.9:18Whatthenismyreward? ThatwhenI preach the gospelI may offerthe gospelfree of charge, and sonotmake full useof myrightsinthe gospel.

9:19Forsince I amfreefromallI can makemyselfa slaveto all, in orderto gaineven more people.1099:20To the JewsI becamelikea Jewto gainthe Jews. To those underthe lawI became likeone underthe law(though I myself am notunderthe law)110 to gainthose underthe law.9:21To those free from the lawI became likeone free from the law(though I am notfree fromGod’slawbutunder the lawof Christ) togainthose free from the law.9:22To the weakI becameweakin orderto gainthe weak. I have becomeall thingsto all people, so thatby all meansI may savesome.